Electrical apparatus



Aufn 28 E934., c. H. REYNOLDS ET A1.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1,931 2 Sheets-Sheet l )web Aug. 28, 1934. C. H. FzYNoLns Er AL (y979990 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Files?. June 9, 1931 2 Shees-Sheet 2 Wwf/fans.

Patented Aug. 28, 1934 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Application June 9, 1931, Serial No. 543,062

Claims. (Cl. 200-50) UNITED STATESv OFFICE This invention reiates to an electrical apparatus wherein a plug and socket connection is associated with a switch for controlling the circuit in which the plug and socket connection is 5 included.

The present invention has for its object to provide an apparatus of the character described wherein the danger of nre from arcing may be I reduced to a minimum and enabling said appa- 0' ratus to meet the requirements of the authorities of cities, towns and the like, as will be described.

To this end, the plug and socket connection is provided with a member for mechanically cou- Y A pling the plug member to the socket member of Said connection, and the switch is controlled by said coupling member, which enables the switch to be located in a closed junction box or casing and protected against injury and also against defective operation by dirt, while ensuring the proper operation of the switch within the junction box to close and open the circuit in the proper sequence with relation to the plug and socket members, so that the connection between the plug and socket members may be made and opened independently of the switch.

These and other features of this invention will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims at the end of this specicatlon.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section with parts in elevation of an electrical apparatus embodying this invention, the plug and socket members being shown in disconnected or inoperative relation and the switch being shown in its open position;

Fig. 2, a like View with the plug member electrically connected with the socket member and mechanically coupled therein and with the switch in its closed position, and

Fig. 3, an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, looking toward the leit, with the cover for the junction box or casing removed.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the socket member and 12 the plug member of a plug and socket electrical connection er" known or standardv construction, and such as now commonly used in electrical wiring systems.

The socket member 10 is provided with the usual female terminal or contact member and the plug member 12 is provided with the usual male termina-l or contact member which contacts with the female member of the socket member 10, when the plug member 12 is in closed or operative relation to the socket member 12' as represented in Fig. 2. The male and female contact members are not shown as they are of a standard construction.

The plug member 12 is provided with an external shell 15 and the socket member 10 is provided with an external shell 16. The plug member 12 has mounted on its shell 15 a coupling member or sleeve 18 provided on its interior with 60'. screw-threads 19 which are designed to eng-age screw-threads 2O on a collar 21 mounted on the socket member 10. The sleeve 18 is also pro'- vi'ded on its inner surface with one or more lugs 22 which are designed to engage an annular lip Q52 or flange 23 on the shell 15 near the lower end thereof.

Byy reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen, that by turning the coupling member 18 in one direction on the shell 15 of the plug member, the I0` screw-threads 19 are engaged with the screwthreads 2o and the lugs 22 are engaged with the external flange 23 on the shell 15 of' the plug member, and on further rotation or the coupling member 18, the plug member 12 is movedl bodily '15l toward the socket member 10y to mechanically couple and lock the plug member to the socket member with their contact members in engagement, and so as to electrically connect the plug member 12 with the socket member 10, as repre- 80. sented in Fig. 2.

By rotating the coupling member 18` in the reverse direction, and into the position shown in Fig. 1, the coupling member 18 is disengaged from the threaded collar 21 on the socket member 85; and the plug member 12 is then uncoupled from the socket member and is free to be electrically disconnected from the socket member by the operator.

The plug member 12 is tast to its shell 15 90 and the socket member 10 is fast to its shell 16, which may be eilected as herein shown by screw-threads 2S on the plug member andv screwthreads 29 on the socket member, which engage suitable screw-threads on the interior of g5 the shells 15, 16 respectively.

The plug and socket members 12, 10 when in their operative relation, shown in Fig. 2, are included in an electric circuit, which also includes a switch which may be of known construction and is conventionally illustrated' by the handle 30 operatively connected with the movable contact member of the switch which is located in a casing 31.

The switch 30 is of the double-throw type and 105 is on when its handle is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and off when the handle is in the position shown in Fig. 1.

To comply with the requirements of the authorities of cities, towns, and like places, the no switch 30 is located in a metal junction box or casel 34 provided with a removable side or cover 85 fastened to the oase or box 34 by screws 36. The sleeve 16 of the socket member 10 is mounted on the top wall 37 of the junction box 34 and has its lower end extended into the junction box through an opening 38 in the top wall 37, which opening is closed by a ilange 39 on the sleeve 16.

Provision is made for controlling the operation of the switch 30 by the coupling member 18.

To this end, the junction box 34 contains mechanism, which co-operates withkthe handle of the switch 30 and which also co-operates with the coupling member 18 located outside of Vthe junction box or casing 34. y y K In the present instance, one construction of mechanism is shown which may be preferred and which consists of a bar 40 vertically guidedat its lower end by guide members 42 and having its upper end pivotally connected at 43 with o ne end of a lever 44 which is pivotally connected at its opposite end to a lug 45 attached to the sleeve 16 of the socket member. f

The lever 44 has pivotally connected to it at 46 the lower end of a block 47 having a threaded bore with which engages the threaded lower end of a rod 48 which is extended out of the junction box 34 and into a bore 49 in a lug 50 forming part of the sleeve 16.

The rod 48 is adjustable in the block 47 by means of its threaded lower end and may be secured to said block in its adjusted position by the nut 52. The rod 48 is designed to be engaged by the coupling member 18 after the latter has been engaged withthe threaded collar 2l on thesocket member, so that the plug member 12 may be mechanically coupled with the socket member before the switch 30 is operated by the coupling member.

In the present instance, the bar 40 of the switch-operating mechanism is provided with arms 54, 55, which are spaced apart and which are designed to move the switch handle 30 from its fo1-position, shown in Fig. 1, into its on" position, shown in Fig. 2.

The adjustable rod 48 permitsthe arms 54, 55 to be operated properly by the coupling member 18.

The` arm 54 is designed to move the handle 3G to'close the switch and the arm 55 is designed to move the said handle to open the switch, and this movement of the arm 55 may and preferably will be effected automatically by one or more springs 58, which are anchored at their upper ends to lugs 59 on the top wall 37 of the` junction box, and have their lower ends engaged with a cross rod 60 attached to the bar 40 and having its ends movable in vertical slots or grooves in 'the guide members 42 (see Fig. 3). The switch-operating mechanism herein shown is arrangedand adjusted with relation to the switch handle 30 and to the coupling member 18, so that when the switch is open, the coupling member 18 isV disengaged from the socket member and also fromthe rod 48 as represented in Fig. '1. v Thisiarrangement ensures that the circuit in which the plug and socket members 12, 10 and the switch 3G are included, is open at the switch when the plug member 12 is capable of having its' contact member or members engaged with or disconnected from the contact member or members of the socket member 10,' and further ensures that the switch 30 remains in its open position until after the plug member 12 has been mechanically coupled with the socket member 10, and the danger of arcing at the plug and socket members is avoided, both when contact is made between the plug member and its socket member, or when the contact between the said members is interrupted.

In other words, the coupling of the plug and socket members is independent of the switch, which enables the latter to be located within the `junction box 34 and rendered practically inaccessible and therefore protected against dirt and also .from being accidentally operated by outside agencies.

The vjunction box 34 is provided with a threaded nipple 62 for connection of a pipe conduit, not shown, but such as is now required by the authorities, and is further provided with terminals 68, 64 for connection of the switch 30 with the wire or wires in the pipe conduit, and with a terminal 65 for connection of the switch with the socket member 10.

The operation of the apparatus herein shown will now be briefly described.

When the plug member l2 is uncoupled from the socket member 10, as representedA in Fig. 1, the circuit is open at the switch 39, and the plug member 12 is not alive and can be disconnected from theV socket member l0 without danger of an arc being formed. Also ifl the plug member 12 is disconnected it can be connected with its socket member without the formation of lan arc. lifter the plug member has been electrically connected with its socket member, it is then mechanically coupled or locked to the socket member without changing the condition of the switch, which is effected by engaging the Vcoupling mem- 18 with a portion of the threads on the collar 21. This coupling of the plug member with the socket member may move thevrod 48 but not suificiently to operate the handle 30 of the switch to close the latter, which is effected by lthe coupling member 18 after the latter has engaged a suicient number of the threads on the collar 21 to prevent the plug member being disconnected from the socket member accidentally, as for instance, by pulling on the cable or wire .connected with the plug member.

As the coupling member 18 is turned on the threaded collar 21, it advances the rod 48 and causes the arm 54 `to move the handle 30 of the switch into its closed position (shown in Fig. 2), thereby closing the circuit at the switch. When it is-desired to disconnect the plug member from its socket member, the coupling member 18 Vis rotated in the reverse vdirection and when the coupling member has been turned sufficiently, it permits the switch 30 toV be opened bythe arm 55 actuated by the springs 58 before the coupling memberlS is disengaged from the threaded collar 21, thereby allowing the switch to be opened while the plug member 12 is mechanically coupled to the socket member 10, and on further turning thecoupling memberY 18 in the reverse direction, the plug member is uncoupled and free to be ldisengaged from its socket member, but at such time the circuit is open at the switch and the formation of an arc between the contact members of the plug and socket members cannot take place.

It will be observed that the condition of the switch is controlled by the relation of the plug and socket members, that is, whether theplug and socket members are mechanically coupled or not, inasmuch as the operation of the switch is controlled by the member 18, which couples the plug and socket members together.

By placing the switch under the control of the coupling member 18 for the plug and socket connection, the switch may be located in the junction box or case 34 and rendered inaccessible and also protected from dirt and from sparking at the switch, caused by unauthorized operation of the same.

Furthermore, by controlling the switch by the coupling member, sparking at the plug and socket members is avoided, as the plug and socket connection is made before the plug member is coupled and mechanically locked to the socket member and before the switch is closed.

It will further be observed that the opening of the switch is dependent upon the position of the coupling member, and that the switch is opened before the coupling member is disengaged from the socket member.

The guide members 42 for the rod 60 are preferably made in two pieces, one of which as 42S is fast to the cover 35 so that when the cover is removed, the rod e0 and its attached parts can be lifted upward on the pivot 43 as a center, leaving the switch 31 freely accessible to the operator for repair or other purpose.

One embodiment o1' the invention is herein shown, but it is not desired to limit the invenn tion to the particular construction shown.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric apparatus having, in combination, a junction box, a switch located in said junction box, a socket member mounted upon said junction box and electrically connected with the switch within said box, a plug member cooperating with said socket member outside of said box, a coupling member for mechanically coupling said plug and socket members in their operative relation and for operating said switch with said plug and socket members in their operative relation, and mechanism for operatively connecting said switch within said box with said coupling member outside thereof to enable the said switch to be closed by said coupling member after the plug and socket members have been electrically connected and mechanically coupled and to permit the switch to be opened while the plug and socket members remain mechanically coupled.

2. An electric apparatus having, in combination, a junction box, a switch located in said junction box, a socket member mounted upon said junction box and electrically connected with the switch within said box, a plug member cooperating with said socket member outside of said box, a coupling sleeve rotatably mounted on said plug member and engaging said socket member to mechanically couple said members and for operating said switch with said plug and socket members in their operative relation, and mechanism for operatively connecting said switch within said box with said coupling member outside thereof, said mechanism comprising a reciprocating bar co-operating with said switch to operate it, a lever connected to said reciprocating bar, and a rod connected with said lever and extended outside of said box into position to be engaged by said coupling sleeve to be moved thereby after the plug member has been mechanically coupled with the said socket member.

3. An electric apparatus having, in combination, a socket member provided with a threaded cellar, a plug member co-operating with said socket member, a sleeve mounted on said plug member to rotate thereon and provided with screw-threads to engage said threaded collar to mechanically couple the plug and socket members together, and a switch controlled by said sleeve.

4. An electric apparatus having, in combination, a socket member, a plug member cooperating with said socket member and both o which are nonrotatable in their operative relation, manually operated means for mechanically coupling said plug and socket members in their operative relation without rotation of said plug or socket member, and a switch controlled by said coupling means to permit said switch to be closed and opened with said plug and socket members in their operative relation.

5. Electric apparatus having in combination co-operating plug and socket members, a switch for controlling the circuit in which said plug and socket members are included, a member for mechanically coupling said plug and socket memn bers in their operative relation and for operating said switch with said plug and socket members in their operative relation.

CHARLES H. REYNOLDS. GEORGE H. TRYDER.

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